Maverick Tied and Branded

Sen. McCain won my admiration when he gave this speech in 2000.

I recognize and celebrate that our country is founded upon Judeo- Christian values, and I have pledged my life to defend America and all her values, the values that have made us the noblest experiment in history. But public — but political intolerance by any political party is neither a Judeo-Christian nor an American value. The political… (APPLAUSE)

The political tactics of division and slander are not our values, they are…

(APPLAUSE)

They are corrupting influences on religion and politics, and those who practice them in the name of religion or in the name of the Republican Party or in the name of America shame our faith, our party and our country.

(APPLAUSE)

Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right.

He paid dearly for it, and since then has been respectful of his evangelical base. Eight years later, Megavangelist John Hagee claims that McCain sought out his endorsement, and it was a long time before the Senator said anything to distance himself from this religious extremist.

And Sarah Palin. Would her qualifications get her anywhere if she were Jewish? Or a secular Christian who did not put her religion front and center? Then she would only have her record, which is thin.

The Republican party made a deal with organized religion, and anyone who lets an honest word slip out is collateral damage. Political expediency drained away the best of John McCain, and there is not much left but ambition.

5 thoughts on “Maverick Tied and Branded

  1. I think the religious right torpedoed any chance Mitt Romney had of the VP nomination.Romney was the most highly qualified person available with his successful business background,experience as Governor,and his rehabilitation of the seriously compromised Olympics.
    His Mormon faith was the target of discrimination for no good reason.

  2. i often asked myself if i would vote for a Mormon. in the unlikely event that a Mormon candidate was running as a progressive and I liked their record, religion would not be a factor. in voting, as in investment, it pays to look beyond labels to what they say and what they do. I was very offended at all the press buzz around his religion when Joe Lieberman was a vice presidential candidate. he had a Long Record. everthing we needed to know was there.

  3. Lieberman-what a loser-he ran for Senate and VP simultaneously-how can you vote for someone who gets “insurance”in case he loses?He must not believe in himself and his running mate.
    I didn’t vote in that election because I couldn’t stand either ticket.
    Lieberman is an armchair warmonger-he never got anywhere near a uniform,nor did his kids serve,so why is he so eager for a “let’s you and him fight”scenario?
    No one can say McCain didn’t walk the walk,whether you like him or not.

  4. true. and i totally agree about Joe Lieberman. when you consider how close that race was, a little more committment from him would have won it.

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